Transmigrated into the Villain's Cannon Fodder Ex-Wife (Transmigrated into a Book) - Chapter 42

“Blo.. blockhead?”

Lin Chu stared at Yan Mingge, stunned for a moment before asking softly, 

“…Husband, what did you just call me?”

Yan Mingge’s eyes flickered, and he immediately covered his chest and started coughing.

“Big Brother! You’re finally awake!”

“Here, drink some water first!”

The group of men were all overjoyed at seeing Yan Mingge awake and rushed over. Lin Chu knew this wasn’t the time to make a fuss, so she had to let the nickname slide—for now.

Yan Mingge took the water bottle from Yuan San and rinsed his mouth. Still, the bitter taste lingered. He frowned and asked, 

“Why does my mouth taste so bitter?”

Tang Jiu wiped the other serpent fruit clean on his shirt and handed it over. 

“You were bitten by a venomous snake, Big Brother. We fed you a snake gall just now—it must’ve been really bitter. Have a fruit to get rid of the taste.”

Yan Mingge glanced at the tight bandages on his left hand, where deep marks from the bindings were still visible. His hand felt a little numb—probably from poor circulation earlier. He took the fruit and took a bite.

The fruit was sweet and refreshing. It helped wash away the bitter taste in his mouth.

Lin Chu watched quietly, feeling a strange mix of emotions. 

So… the big villain is now immune to all poisons too, huh?

Tang Jiu’s expression was so animated it was hard to tell whether he was laughing or crying. 

“We were all scared out of our minds when we saw you poisoned. Thankfully, Sister-in-law kept her cool. She said wherever there are snakes and bugs, there’s always an antidote nearby. It was her who led us to find that fruit!”

Hearing that, Yan Mingge looked at Lin Chu with more warmth and admiration in his eyes, though he still wore his usual stern face. 

“Wasn’t it the snake gall that saved me?”

As soon as he mentioned the gall, the group of brothers got even more excited.

“Who would’ve thought that snake gall actually worked!” Tang Jiu said, still amazed. “Sister-in-law gave a meat pie to a young eagle, and then that eagle brought back the gall as a thank-you gift!”

Feeling Yan Mingge’s increasingly intense gaze on her, Lin Chu was inwardly panicking. 

Why is that young eagle so mystical? She was just an engineering student who fell into a book, not some demon or spirit! Please don’t think she’s a witch or something! She had no desire to be burned at the stake.

After a bit of rest, the group got ready to head back.

When Wei Rou stood up, Lin Chu noticed bl00d on the back of her skirt. Her first thought was that Wei Rou was injured—but she hadn’t fought anyone recently, so it likely wasn’t a wound. Looking at Wei Rou’s pale face, Lin Chu guessed it might be that time of the month—menstrual cramps don’t care whether you’re a soft girl or a tough one.

Thankfully, everyone’s attention was on Yan Mingge, so to save Wei Rou from embarrassment, Lin Chu took the large scarf she had used earlier to cover her face and wrapped it around Wei Rou’s waist.

Wei Rou looked at her warily, confused but surprised. Lin Chu gave her a gentle smile. 

“Senior Sister, are you feeling unwell?”

Wei Rou seemed to catch her meaning. Her expression shifted, and then she gave Lin Chu a wide, grateful grin. 

“Thanks, Sister-in-law.”

Yan Mingge glanced over and immediately noticed how pale Wei Rou looked. His brows furrowed. 

“Are you hurt?”

Wei Rou rolled her eyes at him. 

“What, you think I’m as reckless as you?”

“Second Miss used her internal energy to help draw out the venom—that’s how she got affected too,” Yuan San explained, sneaking another glance at Wei Rou.

He used to call Yan Mingge “Young Lord,” but ever since Yan Mingge was exiled to Qiang City five years ago, they had to keep a low profile. They’d been calling each other “brother” for years now, and it had become a habit. To avoid suspicion from the others, Yan Mingge never asked him to change it.

Yan Mingge stared at Wei Rou. 

“You’re not dying, are you?”

Wei Rou raised her hand, pretending she was about to smack him. 

“You little punk, getting cocky again?”

Other than her pale face, she didn’t show signs of poisoning anymore, so Yan Mingge relaxed and muttered, 

“The wicked live long.”

Wei Rou didn’t argue back. She just lowered her eyelids, looking exhausted. Lin Chu figured she was worn out from a sleepless night and the snake venom, so she suggested they head back quickly.

The mountain path was rough, so they walked alongside the horses.

Yan Mingge had wrapped Hu Yanlie’s severed head in a strip of cloth torn from Hu Yanlie’s clothes. Seeing that Lin Chu was afraid of it, he handed it off to one of the men to carry instead.

To Lin Chu’s surprise, the young eagle continued to follow them, slow but steady.

Little Gray had been on guard the whole time. At one point, it even tried to chase the young eagle away, only to get pecked in the face. It let out the saddest cry and curled up beside Lin Chu’s feet, looking pitiful like it was waiting for her to roast the young eagle to cheer it up.

“Is that young eagle still hungry?” Lin Chu wondered aloud, debating whether to give it another meat pie.

Yan Mingge narrowed his eyes and noticed the bamboo basket they had used to carry Little Gray earlier, still tied to the saddle. 

“Let’s bring that young eagle back with us in the basket.”

Lin Chu’s eyes widened. “Huh?!”

Yan Mingge handed the bamboo basket to Yuan San, but his words were directed at Lin Chu. “This eagle has a broken wing. If it’s not properly cared for, it might die out here in the wild.”

The young eagle glanced at Yan Mingge. In its golden eyes flickered a natural arrogance, and though clearly reluctant, it still squeezed into the bamboo basket.

The basket was slightly large for Little Gray, but for this young eagle, it was a bit too small.

Seeing its temporary little nest being taken over, Little Gray let out a pitiful whine and rubbed its round body against Lin Chu’s ankle. Its eyes were glistening with moisture, as if it was truly about to burst into tears.

After hearing Yan Mingge’s words, Lin Chu recalled how this young eagle had once saved his life. Letting it die like this would feel too heartless. Faced with her wronged little dog, she crouched down and patted Little Gray’s back. 

“Be good, I’ll carry you back myself later.”

It was broad daylight, and the ashes they’d scattered last night were clearly visible. Guided by the trail, the group made their way smoothly out of the Soul Severing Stone Forest.

When Shi Liu saw them emerge unharmed, his eyes turned red and he nearly burst into tears again. 

“Brother Yan… you’re all safe, that’s really great!”

The men waiting outside the forest quickly gathered around, expressing their concern and relief.

Yan Mingge clapped Shi Liu on the shoulder and said loudly, 

“Brothers—soon we’ll be back on the battlefield, fighting side by side, feasting on meat and downing wine by the bowl!”

“Aye! Big mouthfuls of meat, big bowls of wine!” the men roared in unison.

“Battalion Commander Yan, it’s wonderful that you’ve returned safely. The Commander is waiting for you to return and start the celebration feast!” a young officer said with a smile.

Lin Chu glanced at the carriage behind him, guessing that it had been sent by the Commander himself. Her impression of the Commander of Jintong Pass rose a few notches. Not knowing whether Yan Mingge was dead or alive, the Commander still sent a carriage just in case—an act of sincere consideration. Judging by how long it had been parked here, he must’ve given the order shortly after they’d left yesterday.

Yan Mingge thanked the young officer. He still intended to ride back on horseback, but Lin Chu stuffed him and his little dog into the carriage without giving him a choice.

Since Wei Rou was on her period and riding would be inconvenient, Lin Chu invited her to ride in the carriage as well. Wei Rou readily agreed.

By the time they returned to Jintong Pass, everyone was completely exhausted. The Commander was a reasonable man and ordered them to rest well before holding the celebration feast two days later. In the meantime, he had the military physician check Yan Mingge’s injuries again.

Back at the inn, Lin Chu hadn’t slept all night. After a bath, she planned to get a good, long sleep. But once she sank into the warm water, her sore, aching muscles relaxed completely—and she fell asleep right there in the bath.

Jing He, who had trouble walking, spent most of her time resting in bed these days and rarely went out.

When Yan Mingge finally escaped the military doctor and came looking for Lin Chu, the scene that greeted him was… stunning.

The wooden bath bucket was still steaming, shrouded in mist. His little wife rested her head against the edge, her flawless white arms draped over the sides. A glimpse of her smooth, rounded shoulder peeked through the haze.

Honestly… the pose was a bit bold.

But in the eyes of a lover, even a melon looks like a goddess. Yan Mingge stared, utterly captivated.

He quickly backed out of the room, heart pounding like a war drum, trying to keep his voice steady. 

“S-Sorry…”

It wasn’t the first time he’d accidentally seen her bathing. The memory of the previous incident flashed vividly in his mind. His throat tightened, and he was just about to say something else when he suddenly noticed—there was no response from inside.

It was as if Lin Chu hadn’t heard him at all.

His first thought was that she’d fallen ill. Rushing back into the room, he approached the bath and finally heard her steady breathing.

Ah. She was just asleep.

Yan Mingge’s pounding heart finally settled… but his eyes stubbornly refused to look away.

Two voices battled in his head. One said, Yan Mingge, this is your legally wedded wife. What’s there to feel guilty about looking at?

The other chanted on repeat, Yan Mingge, you are a gentleman. A gentleman…

He squeezed his eyes shut, silently reciting his mantra, then turned to leave again. But then he remembered—Jing He was injured, and the inn was full of big, burly men. Who could he possibly ask to carry Lin Chu out?

Left with no choice, he circled back to the bath.

Staring at Lin Chu’s peaceful sleeping face, he muttered with a wicked grin, revealing one sharp canine tooth, 

“Well, your whole self belongs to me anyway.”

Then his gaze dropped—just a bit.

A rush of heat surged straight to his head. Warm liquid dripped from his nose.

He wiped at it

—bl00d.

Where was a handkerchief when he needed one?

Naturally, he didn’t carry such things around. And Lin Chu didn’t seem like the kind of girl to leave extras lying around either. He looked all over the room but couldn’t find a single cloth to staunch the bleeding.

Then he spotted a tablecloth on the table.

Screw it.

He grabbed the tablecloth with resignation. Tablecloth, handkerchief—what’s the difference?

Half a moment later, after finally stopping the nosebleed, Yan Mingge looked like a man heading to his execution as he approached the bath again, ready to lift Lin Chu out.

By then, the bath water had already turned cold. Lin Chu stirred from the chill and slowly opened her eyes—only to see Yan Mingge’s devilishly handsome face looming dangerously close.

She looked down.

She was still in the bath.

With a sharp scream, she grabbed the ladle and hurled it at his head.

“YAN MINGGE, YOU PERVERT!”