Water Margin: Did we kill Zheng Tu today?

Chapter 54 Bolting the Door

A sharp, stabbing pain, like a fine needle piercing Zheng Tu's brow.

What followed was the familiar heat and the groggy feeling of being still drunk.

"This wine... how can it be so potent? It's already the second day, and I'm still feeling so groggy..."

Zheng Tu barely opened his eyes.

What came into view was not the low beams of his own teahouse room, but a face as beautiful as a lotus flower, with eyebrows like a crescent moon, eyes like autumn water, and lips slightly parted, looking at him very close!

Pan Jinlian!

Zheng Tu shuddered, instantly sobering up considerably from the alcohol.

He instinctively tried to sit up, but his body was weak and he couldn't move. Only then did he notice the few lines of illusory text that had flashed before his eyes:

[Zheng Tu, died. 】

Survival days: ...

Before he could examine the celestial chart, the overwhelming intoxication returned, engulfing his mind like a tidal wave.

For a moment, I felt dizzy and my eyelids felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, making even thinking difficult.

Furthermore, he had a vague feeling that if he forcibly broke through his martial arts realm at this moment, it would cause a great commotion. Since the situation was unclear, it was not advisable to act rashly, so he decided to leave it alone for now.

Zheng Tu, fighting off his drunkenness, struggled to sort things out in his mind:

"How...did I just die for no reason?"

My memory is still from yesterday. I saw Pan Jinlian behaving so boldly that I didn't dare look at her too much. I just buried my head in my drink and drank until I was completely drunk. Later... I clearly asked Wu Song to take me back to my room in the teahouse, where I fell asleep immediately.

When he opened his eyes again, he was reborn and returned to the Wu family's guest room!

Could it be that he died from drunkenness? Or did that old woman Wang secretly poison him?

Upon closer reflection, though the wine was strong, it was far inferior to the "three bowls and you're done" wine of Jingyang Ridge. Wang Po, on the other hand, was only hoping to befriend Ximen Qing and make some money from it; she certainly wouldn't act now.

I haven't caused any trouble before, so how did I end up in this situation?

What troubled him even more was that, after this rebirth, he felt a faint pain between his eyebrows.

Could it be that too many rebirths have damaged its foundation?

If this speculation is true, and if this kind of resurrection happens a few more times, I'm afraid... one's life would be in danger!

Countless guesses flashed through my mind, swirling together like a paste.

Zheng Tu didn't have time to think about anything else; in the end, only one thought remained in his mind:

"I must stay at Wu's house! With Wu Erlang by my side, no matter what kind of demons or monsters they are, they should be able to protect me. I'll make a plan tomorrow when I'm sober and clear-headed!"

After struggling to think all this through, Zheng Tu felt utterly exhausted. His eyes were unfocused as he stared blankly ahead.

But in Pan Jinlian's eyes, the man, having sobered up slightly, was staring straight at her.

What a hypocrite! He only knew how to be righteous; after a few bowls of yellow soup, his true colors were revealed.

She smiled inwardly and said softly, "Uncle, are you a little more sober now? Would you like some more soup?"

Zheng Tu then came to his senses and subconsciously declined, saying, "No, no need..."

Pan Jinlian put the soup bowl aside and said, "Uncle is so drunk, let him rest here tonight. He can leave when he's sober tomorrow."

Wu Song also said from the side, "Brother Zheng, why don't you rest here? It will save you from all the trouble of traveling."

Zheng Tu went along with it, nodding and vaguely replying, "That's good..." He wanted to say something more, but then he felt drowsiness wash over him like a tide, and his eyelids became so heavy that he couldn't lift them.

He managed to say, "Thank you for your trouble...", but before he could finish speaking, he could no longer hold on, his head lolled to the side, and he fell into a deep sleep.

Pan Jinlian tucked him in with the thin blanket, then turned to Wu Song and Wu Dadao and said, "You two should go and rest too. I'll look after Uncle Zheng here."

Wu Song hesitated and said, "This... I'm afraid it's inconvenient. I'd better stay here and keep watch. Brother Zheng is so drunk; if he vomits at night, there will be no one to take care of him."

Pan Jinlian smiled and said, "Uncle Erlang has to travel back to Yanggu tomorrow, how can he stay up all night and strain his mind? Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. If Uncle Zheng is unwell, I will call you."

Wu Da also said, "Erlang, let your sister-in-law take care of it. Your sister-in-law is meticulous and much better than us rough men. We are clumsy and will only cause trouble."

Wu Song glanced at Zheng Tu, who was fast asleep on the bed, then at Pan Jinlian. After a moment's thought, he finally nodded: "Then I'll have to trouble you, sister-in-law. If anything happens, please be sure to call me."

Pan Jinlian smiled and said, "I know, I know. Uncle Erlang, go and rest."

Wu Song then went upstairs with Wu Da.

…………

Inside the guest room, only the alluring beauty Pan Jinlian and the unconscious Zheng Tu remained.

The oil lamp was dim, the flame flickering, casting shadows on the wall.

Pan Jinlian sat down on the edge of the bed, her full, round buttocks deformed by the hard bed edge, making her appear even more voluptuous, and outlining her graceful curves under her thin skirt.

Her foxy eyes gazed quietly at Zheng Tu's sleeping face.

Although this man's face was not as handsome as Wu Erlang's, he had distinct features and a rugged air about him.

He was fast asleep with his eyes closed, his firm chest rising and falling slightly with his breath, his thick arms resting at his sides, his muscles bulging, exuding an undeniable sense of power even when he was relaxed.

A powerful, pure masculine aura immediately wafted over, mixed with a faint smell of alcohol.

Pan Jinlian looked at the person in front of her, and a faint blush rose on her face.

Without thinking, he reached out and gently stroked the taut muscles on Zheng Tu's forearm.

"Only a strong and brave man like this can give you that feeling..." she murmured softly, her voice barely audible.

Dear reader, please hear:

Women in the world who are somewhat beautiful and intelligent hope to marry a good, upright man. If they end up with a short, ugly man like Wu Da, even if he is honest and kind, they will inevitably feel some disgust and aversion to him after spending every day together.

As the old saying goes, "A beautiful woman is interested in a handsome man, but a heartless woman is a wandering villager," and this is exactly the case.

Now that Pan Jinlian has seen Zheng Tu, such a strong and capable man, and that he is calm and skilled in martial arts, how could this woman remain unmoved?

Thinking back to how Zheng Tu had stood up for him and dealt with those dissolute young men a few days ago, even Xiang Yu reincarnated couldn't have been more impressive...

The more Pan Jinlian looked at him, the more her eyes shimmered with tears. She slowly leaned down, bringing her face close to Zheng Tu's, her black hair cascading down, her delicate nose almost touching his cheek.

"Uncle Zheng..." she called softly, her voice gentle as water, "What exactly... do you mean to me?"

Zheng Tu frowned in his sleep, mumbled something indistinctly, turned over, and turned his back to her.

Pan Jinlian was taken aback, then chuckled. She straightened up and sat on the edge of the bed for a moment, her gaze lingering on Zheng Tu.

As I watched, a thought quietly arose in my mind.

At this hour, Wu Da and Erlang are probably already asleep.

With that thought in mind, she quietly walked to the door and bolted it shut.

I walked back to the bedside.