After Time Traveling, I was Forced to Marry a Wealthy Family

Mu Ci almost choked to death on the apple in his mouth, following in the footsteps of Snow White. He raised his eyes warily and tentatively, “Why do you ask that?”

He now somewhat suspected that Zheng Xuran was sent by Gu Huai to test him.

“Don’t be nervous,” Zheng Xuran poured a glass of water for Mu Ci. “I have heard about what happened before. You want to leave him, don’t you?”

Mu Ci still didn’t speak. Zheng Xuran sighed, looking a little sad for no reason. “I really envy you, Mu Ci. You can leave if you want, and leave if you could.”

Mu Ci said honestly, “I can’t leave. Look at the people outside. They don’t allow me to leave.”

“Man-made guarding is not worth mentioning. There are other shackles that are terrifying,” Zheng Xuran whispered. “Like me, no one is locking me up. I can go wherever I want, but I just can’t leave. I can’t leave him. This is the most tragic thing.”

It turned out that he himself knew that this was sad.

Mu Ci suddenly thought of what happened between him and Jing Zheng, and couldn’t help but feel sorry and said softly, “I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing to me?” Zheng Xuran smiled inexplicably. “I really treat you as a friend, and you helped me last time, and everyone should repay their kindness, so…”

Zheng Xuran’s eyes became serious, “Mu Ci, I want you to live the life I expect, free and unrequited, it should be regarded as fulfilling my own wish. Mu Ci, I can’t leave, but I want to help you escape.”

Mu Ci was stunned. He stared at Zheng Xuran carefully, as if judging whether his words were true or false.

Mu Ci stumbled and asked again, “You, do you really have a way?”

Zheng Xuran nodded and stood up slowly, he said, “Just wait. I will come back after a while. At that time, you can regret it if you want, but if you don’t regret it, I am willing to help you escape.

‘I am willing to help you escape.’ This sentence gave Mu Ci great courage and hope. On the surface, the days he was recovering from his injuries were dull and boring, but there was always a flaming expectation in his heart. He was eagerly waiting for Zheng Xuran’s next visit.

.

Mu Ci’s meekness and quietness these days made Gu Huai happy, so Gu Huai was doubly kind to him, bringing food here every day, going for walks with him, and wanting to feed him bite by bite with his own hands, even though Mu Ci was not injured on the hand.

Gu Huai’s attentive care was to make up for all the damage he had done before. He thought hopefully that maybe as long as he was gentler, more considerate, and tried to control his violent temper, one day Mu Ci would be willing to open his heart to him and accept his love.

However, Mu Ci was gentle on the outside but as cold as a stone on the inside. During the long wait, half a month passed slowly, and Mu Ci finally met Zheng Xuran one morning.

Gu Huai was usually away at this point, so Zheng Xuran probably chose this time to come here on purpose.

The bodyguard at the door had already encountered Zheng Xuran once, and this time he allowed him to pass more easily than last time. However, they still guarded the door tightly, and there was even someone in the small garden under the window of the hospital bed keeping watch.

With such tight confinement, Mu Ci couldn’t think of any way Zheng Xuran could help him escape.

Zheng Xuran closed the door and walked to the bedside with a small box. Mu Ci’s eyes subconsciously fell on the box, wondering, “What is this?”

Zheng Xuran did not answer him directly but asked, “How is your injury? Is it affecting your activities?”

Mu Ci was stunned for a moment. He subconsciously pressed his chest and shook his head gently. “It’s almost healed. The bandage has been removed, and it’s no longer in the way.”

This was also the reason why he was becoming increasingly anxious. Once the doctor determined that he has fully recovered, Gu Huai would take him back to the impregnable Gu family. In such a well-guarded place, if he could escape once, he would never escape a second time.

So, Mu Ci was relieved that Zheng Xuran could come today.

Zheng Xuran nodded and placed the small box on the table.

The box was dark gray with black edges, and the lock was tightly closed. Zheng Xuran fiddled with it twice, and the box popped open.

Mu Ci couldn’t help but lean over and take a look, feeling his breath stagnant. Inside were two faces arranged neatly—human skin masks. Two familiar faces, even though somewhat deformed, Mu Ci could recognize them. Those were his and Zheng Xuran’s faces.

“It took a while to prepare this, so I’m here now.” Zheng Xuran, wearing thin silk gloves, carefully took out the mask from the box and a bottle of special potion. “It takes some time to put this thing on. Without further ado, let’s take action quickly.”

His hand was close to Mu Ci’s face, but Mu Ci stepped back and looked at the clean sheets with his eyes lowered.

“You want me to pretend to be you and walk out, right?”

“…Obviously, that’s the case.”

Mu Ci’s hands suddenly grasped the sheets tightly, and his voice was low. “It’s too dangerous. Gu Huai will find out sooner or later that you are fake. Jing Zheng will also find out. If Gu Huai can’t find me, he will definitely take out his anger on you. What will you do then? Jing Zheng, will he protect you?”

Mu Ci really wanted to leave, but it must not be based on the sacrifice of others. And that Jing Zheng, Mu Ci didn’t trust him. If Gu Huai wanted Zheng Xu Ran’s life after the incident, would Jing Zheng still protect Zheng Xuran?

This was too risky. Zheng Xuran was a good person, and Mu Ci couldn’t push him into the fire pit.

Zheng Xuran understood Mu Ci’s worry after a moment. His eyes were dim and unclear, and he suddenly laughed softly, “So this is how it feels to be worried by someone.”

“Zheng Xuran…”

Mu Ci had mixed feelings in his heart. His face became paler, almost transparent in the sunlight.

“Don’t worry.” Zheng Xuran continued to fiddle with the mask in his hand. “I am a member of the Jing family after all. Even if Young Master Gu beats a dog, he still has to look at the owner, right? The most he can do is hand me over to the Jing family and let Jing Zheng handle it. It should be fine.”

How could it be? Mu Ci frowned tightly. He saw it with his own eyes last time. Zheng Xuran made a mistake in an order and was punished so cruelly. Jing Zheng’s methods were simply outrageous.

Mu Ci was deep in thought when he suddenly felt a chill on his brow. Zheng Xuran was smearing that strange potion on his face at some point, and smoothing his brow with his fingers.

“Stop frowning; it’s not suitable for you,” Zheng Xuran said calmly while applying the medicine. “You always have this feeling on your body, which makes people think that you should be taken care of and pampered. You should be happy and shouldn’t have a sad look on your face.”

“I envy you,” Zheng Xuran repeated this sentence again, and then slowly put his face mask on Mu Ci’s face.

Mu Ci held his hand and shook his head gently. “I won’t let you stay and bear his anger.”

Zheng Xuran thought for a moment and confirmed again, “You really want to leave the Gu family, right?”

“I want to leave, but I can’t…”

A sly smile suddenly appeared on Zheng Xuran’s face, which was completely unlike him. He said softly, “Then if you don’t obey today, I will tell Young Master Gu about your attempt to escape.”

Mu Ci was stunned for a moment. When he recovered, Zheng Xuran had already put the mask on his face.

Zheng Xuran entered the bathroom, washed his hands, and began to apply Mu Ci’s face mask to his own face in front of the mirror.

Note: everyone I would like to apologize, the chapter 35 was a mess. I probably high on painkiller so I didn’t realize it. It actually should end with Zheng Xuran asking Mu Ci, whether he wanted to escape or not. I’m so sorry for the confusion.