Side Story: Hell on Earth
Chapter 104
An
Wan had been occupied with military affairs and had no leisure to govern the village; thus, he had authorized Liberte to take over. Unless there were escapees, riots, or grave matters threatening the Hive, Liberte had been required to report the state of the village weekly and send a summary of events to Wan every month.
Ange had applied to become Liberte's deputy, using the pretext of assistance to draw closer to the man she loved. Wan had gladly consented. Liberte had reorganized the ranks, setting the soldiers to work in shifts. The men-at-arms had been tasked with watching the women. Ange had taken it upon herself to supervise Maria's household, while Liberte himself had seized control over Mao's household. He had declared:
"Her husband is a traitor. I will personally 'supervise' his wife and child to prevent any incidents."
One man had been sufficient to watch over two souls, leaving the remaining force for other vital duties. Wan had been satisfied with this rational scheme and had nodded in approval.
Ange had secretly thanked her beloved for granting her more days to find ways to please her future mother-in-law. Wan's lips had curled as he watched his daughter excitedly follow Liberte on patrol.
***
Another force had been assailing the rebels. The Hive had been forced to dispatch the village soldiers to the front lines. Liberte had subsequently proposed that the high officials divide the labor sectors into distinct reaches, with each area fortified by a wall and a moat to isolate it from the rest.
The Hive had retained a sufficient number of guards to hold and control the village. The refugees had been compelled to dwell and remain within designated sectors for ease of governance.
The remaining lands had become desolate and devoid of folk. Many children of the village had perished after the famine. The Hive had realized that the policy of cruelty and spiritual suppression—intended to thwart internal strife and deter those who sought to rebel—had gone too far, resulting in a grievous loss of human resources.
Therefore, they had permitted the surviving children to perform small crafts at home, such as weaving baskets, or to roam the village seeking crabs, field snails, river snails, and herbs. Yet, someone had to care for and control them.
Men being the primary strength of labor, the Hive could not squander such power; they had decided to let women like Maria—experienced, kind-hearted, and resourceful—tend to the children.
They had been prioritized to remain outside the isolation zones, tasked with the daily repair of farm tools and broken furnishings, weaving, sewing military tunics, and preparing meals for the young ones while watching over them during their forays for food.
Since they had been freed from heavy toil, the grain they received daily was enough for two meals; each serving consisted of two bowls of gruel, along with dried fish and greens.
No matter how much provender was earned, it had been divided by portion. If little was gained, they had enjoyed the full share; when much was reaped, two parts had to be yielded to the Hive.
Maria had seen the Hive make a just decree for the first time; she had been even more astonished to learn it was Liberte who had proposed it. The genocidal cabal had granted approval, for they too had wished to restore the strength of those who had been exhausted to the uttermost.
The mother had felt a profound unease, for Liberte had become colder and more heartless than those demons. She could scarce recognize the child she loved more than life itself—he who had seemingly sold his soul to the devil. Yet, Maria had still believed that his original kindness had not been utterly lost.
Every matter had two faces; whether Liberte had truly fallen or had been forced to become a hound, at least hunger, thirst, and hardship had temporarily released him. She no longer fretted over the future, for as long as one lived, one had to find every means to survive, never losing heart, never surrendering.
Liberte had grown mightier than he had been before the time of chaos. He could appease the "hungry ghosts" that had tormented and disordered the entire household. All the evacuees had yearned for a life that could only be attained in dreams. She should have been content with a life so envied by all.
Though her mind had tried to remain open, Maria's heart had still been restless, sensing that matters would not be so simple. Regardless, her household had to bow to the times in order to survive.
Cursed to dwell in a hell on earth, the conscience of those who were neither human nor ghost had long since become deformed and estranged.
Cruelty had ground the conscience into dry bones for dogs to gnaw. If one were dissatisfied with the life of a dog, their household would become dog food, and their child would be sent to a re-education camp. Maria had trembled with fear, determined to dig deep and bury any risk that might harm her kin.
From that day forth, Maria and the other women had focused on their labor, tending to and watching over the children. After work, she had often gone out with Yi and Ange to forage for food.
Every two or three days, they had discovered quite an abundant source of sustenance; Ange had found hundreds of rat holes. Maria had entered the forest and inadvertently unearthed precious plants, delicious and rich in nutrients. Her daughter and nephew had helped Maria catch snakes.
Maria had apportioned the goods according to the situation; on days when soldiers were present, she had strictly observed the rules of the Hive. On the next occasion, the three of them had deliberately taken less food or sought it elsewhere, so they would not have to share much.
During these times, there had often been no supervision. The soldiers had made excuses to avoid their duty, leaving others no room for refutation.
Maria had surmised that they perhaps wished to please Liberte. Taking advantage of the days when the soldiers were absent, Maria and her children had harvested more, filling their bellies with food that required no cooking.
They had stored items that were easy to keep and would not spoil for a long time in a secret place. It was a hidden cave located in a blind spot deep within the forest. Inside was an ice cave, where the air was as cold as a tomb. Of course, the person who had revealed this perfect hiding place was… Liberte.
That day, the family had been nearer to one another than ever before, yet they felt that Liberte was a complete stranger. Maria had felt that the Hive had not forced him… but rather… it was her son who had created this gap. She had wished to draw near to her child, but Liberte had slightly shaken his head, leaving her stunned.
Ange and Yi had not noticed; they had rushed forward to embrace Liberte. They had waited for this moment too long, but Liberte had pushed his kin away. The two had been bewildered, unable to determine whether the tall, sturdy boy in the rebel uniform was still their brother… or… if he had truly been brainwashed?
There had been no others here besides the family. Why was he still so cold toward his kin, leaving only his wide-eyed sister to watch his figure slowly vanish into the night?
Yi had resented the brother who had always loved and cared for his siblings, but who now acted like a total stranger. The two younger ones had not understood why Liberte provided help in silence, yet coldly shunned his family.
Only parents could understand the thoughts of their child. The Hive might not have fully trusted Liberte yet. If he were currently accepting familial love, the future Liberte would find it difficult to control his emotions.
Once he bared his heart to his family, the Hive would strip away his cruel cover; the demons would lose their confidence and torture the entire family, exiling Liberte to a reeducation camp. In the end, he would be like Yingming — gone, never to return.
Maria had collapsed, embracing her weeping, self-pitying children, as they complained that their brother was not good to the two of them. The son had been blamed and misunderstood by the whole family, and the hardship had left Maria unable to explain. The mother had never been so helpless, able to do nothing but comfort her own offspring.
Today, the food found had been more than usual, yet the hearts of the three had been heavy and sorrowful, as if they had just bidden farewell to a kinsman who had died of hunger and thirst.
Ange and Yi had lain clutching their pillows and crying all night. Throughout the following day, both had locked themselves in the house. Maria had chosen words of encouragement and counsel, while also threatening:
"If you do not eat or drink and lose the ability to labor, the Hive will punish you, and no one can save you."
The statement had suggested that it was difficult to foresee whether Liberte would extend a helping hand? These words had reshaped Liberte's icy image, acting like salt rubbed into an open wound. To preserve the lives of her kin, the mother had been forced to tear apart her own heart.
At dinner that night, Ange and Yi had appeared somber, swallowing every spoonful of soft white rice and sweet soup swallowed with bitter tears. Maria had strived to remain strong, trying to eat with the children, comforting and lulling them to sleep so the three of them would have the strength to labor on the morrow. They had tossed and turned in frustration, and at last, they fell asleep from exhaustion.
Maria had covered the two of them with blankets, then lay down, her mind wandering in turmoil until the dead of night. Most of the lamps in the vicinity had long since been extinguished; everyone slept in silence, save for a single flickering light from a distant neighbor's house. Two figures had briefly entwined in shadow before the candle-light was doused, vanishing into the darkness together.
Mao's husband, Yu, had long since passed away. She dwelt there with her son; perhaps mother and child were comforting and reassuring one another. Maria had surmised this as she doused the lamp and went to sleep.
In the days that followed, An had been eager to help with everything, from repairing tools to weaving rattan ropes into cages and baskets, and even reinforcing the furniture. She had even zealously entered the kitchen to assist with the cooking.
Maria, Ange, and Yi had all stared with wide eyes, blinking in bewilderment as they watched her. Aside from cleaning weapons and repairing military gear, she had botched everything she touched.
The woven baskets were deformed, and the mended items were clumsy and makeshift.
When she cooked, vegetables were crushed, eggs were scorched, and fish had slipped off the cutting board several times. Such clumsiness had forced Ange and Yi to cover their mouths to stifle their laughter. Maria had glanced at An's shirt, soaked with sweat, and spoke:
"You have been busy for so long, and you are tired. Go to the table to brew some tea and drink some water to quench your thirst."
An had still insisted on staying to help. Maria had sighed:
"I dare not let you touch the knives again. If you are injured, even just a tiny scratch, your father will punish us severely."
An had hesitated, and Maria immediately pressed her hands together in supplication:
"I beg of you…"
An had hurriedly grasped Maria's hand:
"Do not be like this, I… I am going out now…"
An had quickly withdrawn her hand and left the kitchen. Her strange behavior had made it impossible for Maria to concentrate on cooking. Just as she was wondering what on earth was happening, An had suddenly screamed.
Maria, panicked, had rushed toward An, who was clutching a bleeding finger. Terrified, Maria had urged Ange to fetch the bandages. An had lowered her head shyly and whispered:
"I only pricked my finger with a needle…"
Ange and Yi, fearing they could not hold back their laughter, had made an excuse to run into the kitchen to help their mother. Maria had felt that this was stranger than a farce.
This high-born lady, who had lived a life of luxury since childhood where food was brought to her mouth and water provided to her lips, was naturally clumsy at household chores.
What was unusual was her attitude; it was the diametric opposite of her previous arrogance when she had aggressively mistreated Maria's family. She had become warm and polite. She remained shy and bashful, full of apologies toward Maria, and gentle toward Liberte's younger siblings.
Maria had stepped closer, holding An's finger and watching the small wound begin to stop bleeding. She had exhaled:
"Treat yourself as a guest, sit down, have some water, and wait to eat dinner with everyone."
Seeing An's bewildered expression, Maria had explained:
"I am only afraid of you getting hurt. Even if my liver were larger than the heavens, I would not dare. Well, I am going to finish the cooking."
The whole family had prepared the meal and brought it to the table. It was a proper dinner, with more dishes than usual to entertain the "noble guest." Ange and Yi had not dared to eat and drink freely.
An had smiled softly, choosing a light topic to ease the atmosphere, occasionally placing food into the bowls of the younger brother and sister.
Maria's family had felt a hazy sense about this strange situation, as if it were a joke. But An had shown that she was not jesting, nor was there any mockery… and certainly... none of the scheming they feared. She was truly serious and sincere in her desire to draw close to her victims.
Her behavior seemed to imply that, from now on, Maria's family were no longer displaced evacuees, nor were they victims of extermination.
An placed Maria's favorite food into the bowl of her future mother-in-law. The strange mannerisms, the gentle and shy appearance—as if a daughter-in-law were returning to her husband's home for the first time—reminded Maria of that morning, when An had jubilantly congratulated Liberte, the enemy's daughter gazing infatuatedly at her son.
Could it be…
An lowered her head in embarrassment, shielding her flushing cheeks. Yi and Ange exchanged a bewildered glance. Both stood frozen, unable to comprehend why Maria and An remained motionless. An did not stir; she kept her head bowed throughout, hesitantly avoiding the fierce impulse of the woman she had once tormented.
Maria's face shifted from a dark, shocked expression to a pallid grey; fear suffocated her, as if Wan's grip were tightening around her throat.
Long ago, An had pleaded with her father, claiming that Maria was the most hardworking evacuee and that if she perished, the Hive would suffer considerable loss.
Only when her father deemed the plea reasonable did he stay his hand. Now, that same dread resurfaced on her pale face, drenched in cold sweat.
"My father knows of the matter between Liberte and me; he will not interfere. Pray, Aunt, set your mind at ease!"
Those words of reassurance failed to calm Maria; instead, they pushed her to the precipice of terror. Wan was ascending in his career, rising swifter than a kite in the wind; only for that reason did he follow his daughter's whims.
Once provoked, or should the kite string snap, Maria's entire household would perish miserably at the hands of that malicious deity. She trembled, chilled by the harrowing risk of this becoming reality. Yi and Ange felt as though Maria had seen a ghost; terrified, the two of them frantically tugged at her garments:
"Mother, do not frighten me…"
"Aunt…"
Maria suddenly snapped back to the present. An dared not look up as she heard Maria inquire:
"What… is… this? Since when… did the two of you become so intimate?"
Maria raised her hand, signaling Ange and Yi to be silent. The two had never seen her so solemn and immediately fell mute, their lips pressed together to keep themselves from blurting out a word.
Seeing the curiosity and urgency within Maria's trembling voice, An summoned her courage to recount the tale…
"Aunt, at that time…"
An, aspiring for a higher station, had accepted the risks and followed her father's counsel to join the logistics corps on the fierce battlefield. The platoon was defeated and forced to retreat; she lost track of the entire unit, became disoriented, and was surrounded by the enemy.
She resisted violently, yet she could not withstand the strength of the powerful men who swarmed her, indulging in perverse games. An screamed, wept, and cried for help. The soldiers laughed hoarsely:
"The more you scream, the more excited we become…"
"Scream louder, the girl. Heh heh…"
"Your teammates have all fled, they cannot even save their own lives, so no one is coming to rescue you…"
A dense volley of bullets tore through the wind, shattering the skull of the man pressing down on An. Several others were struck and died on the spot. The rest were struck with terror, their limbs shaking as they heard bursts of shouting from the soldiers:
"Reinforcements have arrived! Counter-attack!"
"Kill them all for me…"
"Kill one, and be rewarded tenfold!"
The space was filled with mist and smoke; they could not determine the number of the foe. Judging by the loud screams and heavy footsteps, they estimated the enemy forces had already overwhelmed them.
They had seen the enemy resort to barbarism and inhumanity, even slaying hostages, to secure victory. The soldiers could not control the girl to use her as a human shield. Outnumbered, they were forced to abandon their prize and flee for their lives.
An rushed joyfully toward the distance, only to find a single comrade left. She looked on blankly at Liberte, who reeked of gunpowder and was covered in smoke and dust, his face scratched and bleeding.
In his right hand, he held an AK rifle; in his left, he held a tape recorder, blasting the sounds of soldiers shouting madly.
The fleeing troops, cowards that they were, had been scared to death. The two took the chance to vanish from that perilous place, fearing the enemy would realize they had been duped and return.
Liberte and An ran swiftly through the forest, temporarily taking refuge in a hidden cave behind a dense canopy. Liberte had discovered this secluded spot while the army was previously camped there. Outside, heavy rain fell and a cold wind blew into the cave; neither dared to light a fire, so they could only sit against the wall, huddled together to keep warm.
An was bashful, her face burning. Though the air grew colder, she felt her own temperature rising. She lifted her eyes toward Liberte. The fifteen-year-old youth, having suffered for years in that living hell and hardened by the harsh military environment, possessed a body as robust as any grown soldier.
He was three years younger than her, but she only reached as high as his shoulder. An stared at his cold, sharp, and expressionless face, yet a strange ripple of emotion rose in her heart because he had risked his life to save her. The moment he opened his eyes, she lowered her head in confusion, avoiding his gaze. Liberte turned his eyes toward the cave entrance, his hands still gripping his weapon, maintaining a high state of alert.
A faint rustling sound from outside made An jump in fear, and Liberte instinctively shielded her behind him. An took the opportunity to lean her head against his broad, solid back, secretly smiling—it was only a harmless small animal that had wandered in. Later, her face was filled with doubt:
"The mist is so thick, how can you shoot the enemy? What if you hit me instead?"
Liberte replied coldly:
"I listen to the sounds to guess the enemy's position, so the bullets avoided you. I might miss the target, but I definitely won't hit you, since they had you forced down to the ground."
An's face turned bright red, and she awkwardly changed the subject:
"Why did you save me?"
She didn't dare ask directly, but both knew what she meant—she was Wan's daughter, the enemy of his family. Liberte remained silent. When An looked up again, she found that he had already fallen into a deep sleep. So, she quietly buried her head in his chest, her arms tightening around his waist, using their body heat to ward off the cold.
The two continued to sleep in each other's arms until midnight, when Liberte discovered that An's temperature had suddenly spiked. Her face was flushed, and her forehead was burning hot. An had a fever.
He hurriedly searched through his military bag and found a blister pack of medicine for colds and malaria. Unfortunately, the goatskin water bag was dry. He tried several times to put the medicine in her mouth, but she kept vomiting it up.
The pill stuck to her saliva and started to dissolve. The medicine was limited and could not be wasted. With the situation urgent, Liberte simply put the pill in his own mouth and pressed his lips against hers to feed her.
He pushed the pill in with his tongue, maintaining a "lingering kiss" until the tablet slid down into An's stomach... just as she woke up. An glared at him, violently pushing away the 'molester,' and reached out to slap Liberte directly across the face.
"You bastard, I didn't think you were such a despicable person…"
Liberte didn't care about the insults and put away the medicine pack. An looked at the dissolved medicine stains on the ground and felt extremely flustered, stealing a shy glance at the man holding the empty goatskin water bag. She was afraid and reached out to stop him:
"The enemy might still be lurking. It's too dangerous to go out for water now!"
Liberte said without looking back:
"I am familiar with the terrain here. After every battle, the enemy recalls all soldiers to a gathering point to check the numbers. This is a place outside the war zone, so perhaps those cowardly soldiers were just as lost as you were."
An whispered:
"So, you're lost too…"
"No." - Liberte stopped in his tracks - "I came to find you…"
After saying that, he walked out of the cave. From beginning to end, he offered no explanation for the wrong done to him. An buried her face in her knees, never feeling as ashamed of having wrongly accused someone as she did now.
Her mind was in a whirl. The embarrassment of having wrongly accused her benefactor and… that strange yearning for his return made her restless. Her drifting thoughts were suddenly shattered by a scream:
"Watch out…"
The late warning failed to help the victim avoid the fangs. A venomous snake sank its fangs into An's thigh. She screamed in agony and knocked it away. Liberte rushed forward, grabbed a rock, and crushed the fierce animal's head. He quickly tore open the fabric around the black bite mark. An looked miserable, crying and cursing:
"You bastard, why were you gone so long? If you had come back sooner, I wouldn't have been bitten by a snake…"
An froze and stopped cursing, staring blankly at Liberte—he ignored the danger and began sucking the poisonous blood from the wound.
"What… what are you doing?"
Liberte spat the blood onto the ground and commanded coldly:
"Be quiet. The more you struggle and talk, the faster the poison travels to your heart."
Liberte continued to suck, then spit, then suck again, repeating the action. His courage and spirit of sacrifice were like a slap in the face to her usual arrogant attitude.
All the harsh cursing and resentment turned into sobbing cries. Liberte put the snake antivenom into her mouth. She realized the medicine would only work once enough poisonous blood had been sucked out. He smiled slightly, his hands dropped, and he slowly fainted.
An sobbed, her voice repeatedly calling out the name of the man who had saved her life. Before this, no man had ever been sincere with her. Those who approached her were, without exception, driven by lust for her body or a desire to fawn over her powerful father.
Now, the man who was once her sworn enemy had become her savior. The first tremors of life-long passion blinded her reason, leading her heart to blindly follow the summons of love. At this moment, all of Liberte's original reasons for saving her no longer mattered; in her heart, he was simply a hero willing to lay down his life for her.
She searched frantically for the antidote, wiped the blood from Liberte's lips, and kissed him deeply and tenderly, feeding the medicine into his mouth. Regardless of the danger, she held him in a tearful embrace:
"Please don't die, don't leave me!"
Liberte slowly regained consciousness. Even on the brink of death, he remained concerned for her. The fire of love within An was completely ignited; she no longer wished to restrain her emotions, professing her love with a passionate kiss.
Liberte was in a trance, unsure how to react. The girl, intoxicated by love, locked his lips, feverishly casting aside every shackle that prevented them from being together.
Both were awkward, yet it was precisely that clumsiness of tasting the forbidden fruit for the first time—feeling each heated breath, breathing in the scent as her chest swelled, brimming with the very sap of life… that fragrance… primal and intoxicating, leaving their souls drifting in a dreamy, rapturous haze.
A bewitching scent crept in, caressing his sensitive nostrils… like… the way a maiden would cherish and treasure the hero who captured her heart… as… she gently touched each horizontal, vertical, and crisscrossing scar that marked his body, which was slick with sweat in the freezing winter night.
A girl who had never known love wanted to use the most intense passion to compensate for and heal all the physical and mental agony of her beloved, surrendering everything to him. Her movements were awkward and frantic, yet every touch was laden with tenderness.
Tender emotions mixed with mellow, wild kisses stimulated the man's most primal instincts. The moment the fire of lust consumed them... when his soul was shaken by her sweet and burning gaze of desire, Liberte no longer cared whether this was sincerity or a lie, even though An was the daughter of his mortal enemy.
Liberte completely let himself go, letting human nature be ignited by the flames of lust. He embraced An, frantically responding to her sincere love. Reason stood no chance against desire, guiding the two to discover everything that belonged to one another. Their bodies merged as they indulged in earthly pleasures, ecstatic and wild throughout the night.
Afterward, An buried her flushed face in Liberte's chest, her arms circling his waist. In that night when snow covered the world, their longing burned once more; the warmth of that intense fire of love was something even the bitter cold could not freeze.
"Thank you for letting me know the 'stinging' sensation of sublimation in love."
Liberte gently touched An's trembling hand, then turned to embrace the woman who loved him. Her head rested against his chest, still carrying a faint, choked sob:
"I'm sorry, because I once treated your mother so cruelly..."
Liberte spoke in a deep, warm voice:
"You should apologize to my mother."
Liberte's bluntness made An even more flustered; she stuttered for a long time before finally speaking:
"I can't just apologize; I must show my sincerity..."
Liberte wiped away her tears:
"Heaven does not forsake those who try; the opportunity will naturally come to you."
An smiled and kissed her lover's cheek.
An omitted the most heated parts, recounting only enough for Maria to understand. However, Ange and Yi—who had been locked in a living hell since childhood, deprived of education and isolated from the world—still found it difficult to fully grasp the story.
But hearing An's tender and affectionate words toward Liberte, the two realized that An truly cherished him. An wanted to clearly define this deep relationship, to affirm it once and for all. Ange and Yi stared at Maria. The mother was stuttering for a long time before she could squeeze out a single sentence:
"Have the two of you… already crossed the line?"
Ange and Yi exchanged a dazed glance; one shrugged while the other shook his head in confusion. They were full of curiosity. Yi frowned; Ange narrowed her eyes. An's expression grew even more embarrassed, but she was no longer so flustered that her fingers twisted together or her words stumbled. She lifted her flushed face and spoke warm words softly, like a daughter-in-law confiding in her mother-in-law:
"That cold winter night was the warmest and happiest day of my life!"
An noticed that Maria was struggling to control her impulses; her entire body was still trembling slightly. Even cold sweat could not cool her face, which was flushed with agitation.
It was unclear whether Maria was afraid she wasn't wise enough to handle this—potentially leading the whole family to "reunite" with their dead relatives—or if she was terrified that her anger would make her scream insults at the daughter of the enemy who was "pushing" her son into a death trap.
As the pillar of the family—the one who controlled and protected the survival of the entire household—Maria had to swallow all the curses and resentment. She dared not vent; she could only speak softly to please the person who had once persecuted her. Yet fate was playing a trick on her, about to turn enemies into family.
"It is late; you should go home, or your father will be waiting anxiously. I also need to rest early; I have work tomorrow."
An wanted to say something more, but Maria gently shook her head to stop her:
"My mind is in a whirlwind right now. Please stop talking. Let us discuss this later; let me calm down first. I need some quiet… please!"
An hurriedly supported Maria, who was clenching her hands in a near-pleading gesture. She bowed her head, apologized, said her goodbyes, and quickly walked out the door.
Maria sat there motionlessly. Despite her children's constant questioning, she remained still, lost in panic. She recalled the way An had shyly lowered her head, with that dark red flush on the girl's face impossible to hide.
The images of passion and wildness, of being immersed in a drunken love, immediately rushed back to warn Maria: her son was playing with fire. From now on, her family had to be even more careful in every action; every word had to be more cautious than ever before. A single mistake could lead the entire family into an even more tragic end than any other victim.
***
An ran toward the car parked in the distance. Liberte politely opened the door for her to sit beside him. On the way home, An recounted the events in detail. A faint smile appeared at the corner of Liberte's mouth. An frowned:
"Your mother is very wary of me. She is terrified of being punished. I am worried to death, yet you are laughing at me."
Liberte turned the steering wheel and drove straight ahead:
"Have you ever seen someone who doesn't want to see someone again say: 'Let's discuss it later'?"
Those words instantly untangled the knots in An's heart; her gloomy face immediately broke into a bright smile:
"Do you mean your mother will give me a chance to prove my sincerity?"
Liberte nodded in confirmation:
"A person who has suffered such a great loss will naturally lack a sense of security and remain wary of everything."
Liberte took her hand:
"My mother needs some quiet time to calmly consider and analyze the pros and cons. I believe my mother has enough wisdom to decide what is best for this family!"
Although Liberte did not intend to blame her, An still felt sad, her guilt lingering over her past mistakes.
"I'm worried your mother only agreed because she's afraid that refusing would make my father lose face."
He comforted and encouraged her gently:
"A sincere heart will dissolve hatred. If you persist, remain patient, and treat my family with sincerity, everyone will open their hearts to accept you."
An smiled softly, expressing her deep gratitude:
"Thank you to the deities for bringing you to my side."
Liberte chuckled softly and pulled the car up in front of the villa gates. As usual, she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek in farewell. The moment their lips lightly touched, the sky broke into a torrential downpour, making them both laugh.
Liberte drove an open-top Jeep. Afterward, An called her father, pleading with him to let her lover stay overnight, and Wan, unexpectedly, agreed. The two entered the villa in high spirits. Deep into the night, when the relatives and servants were already fast asleep, the lovers walked together into the bathroom.
The splashing water gently stimulated their senses. The searing steam blew heat onto their flushed faces. This time, they were no longer as clumsy as the first time; their movements were more skillful than ever.
An knelt down, obediently following his every command, eagerly attending to the "Hero" who had once made her "sting and bleed." The 'hero' now was sturdier, harder, and throbbing with a primal power far more intense than in the past.
Her master became more frenzied, more wild, and more experienced in the art of passion. He acted with a gentleman's delicacy, treasuring every minute and nurturing every second, taking care of the "Young Mistress" he had once deeply hurt.
The "Young Mistress" was both gentle and wild, infatuated and immersed in the sea of desire. His joy was beyond words as he successfully conquered the once-arrogant "Young Mistress," making her his solid stronghold from that day forward.
He believed that no matter what happened in the future, this "stronghold" would never abandon him. She would eagerly await the "Hero's" return to reach the destination of emotional sublimation—just as they were enjoying boundless "happiness" now. For as the "Hero" explored, he showed an even more fervent concern for every tiny, beautiful, dark, and deepest corner.
The "Young Mistress" and the "Hero" became one, entwined in an inseparable attachment. She gave him a look of infatuation that caused all reason to vanish:
"I love you! Give me your 'love,' darling!"
Even as his soul was lost in a dreamlike pleasure, Liberte remained alert enough. He knew she wanted to bear his child so that she could bridge the gap between her and his family. This baby would become the bridge for an emotional bond with her future mother-in-law.
Liberte smiled, passionately admiring his partner's flushed face. He deeply kissed the corners of her lips as she exhaled fiery breath, his soft voice caressing their scalding ears.
The wild man eagerly delivered his "true feelings" to the warmest, most passionate depths of stronghold, igniting a blazing fire of love... warming these two bodies that should never have belonged to each other. Since that fateful night, their bodies had turned into fire and straw; every time they drew near, they ignited into endless passion.
The two turned the princess bed into a crumpled, sweat-soaked battlefield, fighting frantically until midnight before finally growing tired. Filled with satisfaction, An fell into a beautiful dream. Liberte lay on the bed with his eyes closed but did not sleep; once she was fast asleep, he covered her with a blanket and quietly left the room.