sjar Chapter 274 Dressing as a woman is a safer option
Chapter 274 Dressing as a woman is a safer option
Just as tensions were about to rise, the old woman shakily brought out a small cloth bag from the house.
As you open each layer, you find her life savings, the money she'd accumulated over half a lifetime—her money for her funeral.
"Sir, sir, this is just a small token of our sympathy. Please, have mercy and let them go..."
The old woman stuffed all the loose silver and copper coins into the leader's hand, pleading with a sob in her voice.
The leader weighed the money in his hand. Although it wasn't much, every little bit helps, and with the jade pendant, he had made quite a bit.
He reluctantly gave up, but his gaze lingered greedily on Chu Ruohan.
Those eyes were sticky and filthy, making Chu Ruohan's stomach churn.
Gu Cheng'an shielded Chu Ruohan tightly behind him, using his own body to block out that disgusting gaze.
The recruitment leader and his men left, cursing and swearing.
Chu Ruohan watched their departing figures, her nails digging deeply into her palms.
Once she returns to Beijing, she will make sure these people don't get away with it!
Especially that Vice Minister Liu!
The group had barely walked a short distance out of the courtyard when the soldier approached the leader.
He rubbed his hands together, his face full of flattery, and whispered, "Boss, I thought that young lady was really pretty, her skin was so smooth..."
"How about I find an opportunity to get her out for you?"
The leader glanced at him sideways and sneered, "What's the rush?"
“Our Vice Minister Liu has a particular fondness for this kind of beauty, especially those who look aloof and alluring.”
"When we get back to camp, mention this to your superiors, and you'll definitely get your share of the benefits."
Once the conscripts had gone far away, the old woman immediately said, "Hurry up and leave, this place is not safe to stay! Those scoundrels might come back again at any time."
Gu Chengan nodded, quickly tied the luggage to the cart, and carefully helped Chu Ruohan sit on the cart.
The old woman and the old man stood at the gate of the courtyard, looking at them with reluctance.
"Be careful on the road, and take good care of your wife and the baby in her belly!" the old woman shouted to Gu Cheng'an.
Gu Cheng'an nodded, without explaining that they were not actually husband and wife.
He bowed deeply to the elderly couple to express his gratitude.
"Let's go." He said softly to Chu Ruohan, pushing the cart and slowly leaving the small courtyard that had provided them with shelter.
The mountain road was rugged, and Gu Cheng'an carefully pushed the cart, trying to avoid the potholes and uneven places.
Sitting in the car, Chu Ruohan watched the village gradually disappear into the distance, her heart filled with mixed emotions.
"Gu Cheng'an," she suddenly spoke, her voice soft.
"Hmm?" Gu Cheng'an responded without stopping.
"Thank you," Chu Ruohan said sincerely. "If it weren't for you, I might already be..."
"No need for thanks," Gu Cheng'an interrupted her, his voice low. "I've said it before, this is something I owe you."
Chu Ruohan fell silent. She knew Gu Cheng'an was referring to matters of this life, not grudges from the past. This added a layer of complexity to her heart.
"How far is the capital from here?" she changed the subject.
Gu Cheng'an pondered for a moment and replied, "At normal walking speed, it would take about five days to arrive. But considering your situation, it will probably take about seven days."
Chu Ruohan nodded and said nothing more.
The sun gradually rose higher, shining warmly on them. Gu Cheng'an's steps were steady and powerful as he pushed the cart slowly forward along the mountain path.
Before long, the faint sound of horses' hooves and disordered footsteps drifted over on the wind.
Gu Cheng'an's expression changed drastically, and he immediately pulled the cart behind the dense bushes by the roadside.
Chu Ruohan heard it too, and her heart jumped into her throat.
It's another conscription team.
Moreover, judging from the noise, the scale seems to be larger than the previous wave.
They can't hide forever; this is an inevitable route, and they will be discovered sooner or later.
Gu Cheng'an gripped the cart handle tightly, his knuckles turning white, his sharp eyes scanning his surroundings, searching for any possible escape route.
The dappled shadows of the trees fell on their tense faces.
Chu Ruohan looked at Gu Cheng'an's tense profile, then at her own not-so-obvious belly, and a thought suddenly popped into her mind.
"Gu Cheng'an."
Her voice was low, with an undeniable urgency.
"We must think of a way."
Gu Cheng'an frowned. In the current situation, what other options were there? Forcing his way in would be tantamount to suicide.
Chu Ruohan's gaze fell on his tall figure, then swept over his angular, dashing face.
"Change into women's clothing."
Gu Cheng'an turned his head sharply to look at her, his eyes filled with astonishment and resistance.
“This is the most effective method right now.” Chu Ruohan said calmly and quickly analyzed, “They want strong men, they won’t care too much about a ‘woman’. Especially… a woman who looks inconspicuous.”
Gu Cheng'an remained silent.
He knew Chu Ruohan was right.
They had already used up the jade pendant and the old woman's savings for her funeral. They were penniless, and if they encountered the conscription team again, there was no chance of survival.
Compared to revealing one's identity or being forcibly conscripted into the army, dressing as a woman is indeed the least risky option.
He took a deep breath, looked into Chu Ruohan's determined eyes, and finally nodded heavily.
"it is good."
Chu Ruohan breathed a sigh of relief and immediately rummaged through her bundle for a change of clothes.
She didn't have many clothes to begin with, so she picked out a relatively loose-fitting coarse cloth long dress and handed it to Gu Cheng'an.
Gu Cheng'an took the dress, which had a faint scent of soap, his face full of awkwardness and unease.
He, a seven-foot-tall man and a general who fought on the battlefield, now had to wear women's clothes.
But the situation forced him to bite the bullet, turn his back, and stiffly put on the new clothes.
Chu Ruohan suppressed a laugh, then found her spare hairpin and walked behind him.
"do not move."
She tiptoed, let down Gu Cheng'an's long hair that was tied up, and, imitating the way the maid used to comb her hair in her memory, styled his hair into a simple woman's bun.
His hair was thick and black, with a ruggedness unlike that of a woman.
After finally securing her hair in a bun, Chu Ruohan took two steps back to examine it.
The coarse cloth dress looked somewhat out of place on Gu Cheng'an, who was tall and strong. With his broad shoulders and thick back, he didn't look like a woman at all.
But that face... because its head was lowered and a few strands of long hair fell down, strangely softened some of its sharp features.
Chu Ruohan couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Gu Cheng'an turned around abruptly, his eyes filled with anger.
"You look quite pretty in women's clothes," Chu Ruohan teased, her eyes crinkling. "Those soldiers would probably be unable to walk past you, this 'beauty.'"
Gu Cheng'an felt his ears burning from her teasing, feeling both angry and helpless.
He glared at her irritably, then bent down and grabbed a handful of wet soil from the ground.
Without hesitation, she smeared it on her face.
The dark mud stains obscured his overly handsome features and also concealed his masculine charm.